Iran arrests Mahsa Amini's uncle ahead of first anniversary of her passing
The arrest occurred just days before the first anniversary of the Iranian Kurdish women's passing
Iranian authorities have reportedly arrested Safa Aeli, the uncle of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian Kurdish woman whose death in the custody of Islamic Republic's 'Morality Police' last year ignited months of protests.
The arrest occurred just days before the first anniversary of her passing.
Reports from the Kurdish-focused Hengaw rights group, the France-based Kurdistan Human Rights Network, and the 1500tasvir protest monitor indicated that Aeli, aged 30, was apprehended by security forces in Saqez, the family's hometown in western Iran.
His current whereabouts remain unknown.
According to Hengaw, Iranian authorities employed a convoy of five vehicles filled with security personnel to forcibly enter Aeli's residence without presenting any legal documentation.
Saqez has reportedly come under heightened scrutiny in anticipation of the anniversary. Hotels have been instructed not to accept outsiders, and additional security cameras have been installed, including around Amini's gravesite.
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The latest arrest follows accusations from activists who claim that the Iranian government is intensifying its crackdown ahead of the September 16 anniversary of Amini's death.
Amini, aged 22, had been arrested days before her death, allegedly for violating strict dress codes for women.
The resulting protests unsettled Iran's Islamic authorities but have since subsided due to a heavy-handed crackdown, that rights groups say resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests, as documented by the United Nations.
Campaign groups like Amnesty International have accused Iran of detaining and interrogating family members of protest victims in an effort to silence them and to prevent further demonstrations.
Among those arrested in recent weeks was Mashallah Karami, the father of Mohammad Mehdi Karami, aged 22, one of seven men who have been executed in connection with the protests.